Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Rep. Doug Lamborn's father passes

While we enjoy beating up on our elected representatives, it's times like these when we're reminded that they're real people.

And real people lose their fathers.

Today, according to a press release, U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn's father passed away at the age of 93.

The release includes some details about Robert Lamborn. It sounds like he had a full life.

Robert Lamborn, 93, a veteran of the Second World War and former corrections officer at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary, died May 29, in Leavenworth Kansas. Mr. Lamborn is the father of Congressman Doug Lamborn of Colorado Springs.

At age 23, in March 1942, Mr. Lamborn enlisted in the Army at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. He served for nearly 3 ½ years, attaining the rank of sergeant and was credited with 11 battle or campaign stars. Mr. Lamborn served as an armorer for P-40 Warhawks with the 79th Fighter Group. During the war, Mr. Lamborn fought in nine countries, including Malta, Sicily, Corsica, and France.

In civilian life, Mr. Lamborn served 25 years with the federal Bureau of Prisons at Leavenworth Penitentiary. In 1955, Mr. Lamborn was one of five corrections officers selected from a nationwide search to serve at Spandau Prison in West Berlin. There he helped guard Nazi war criminals who had been convicted of crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg trials.

Mr. Lamborn was a fourth generation Kansan whose family homesteaded near Leavenworth. He farmed this land his whole life.

Mr. Lamborn’s wife of 53 years, the former Madeline Brockman of Junction City, Kansas passed away in 1998. In addition to Doug, he is survived by three other sons, nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

“My father passed on to his four sons a love of God, family, and country. He taught us to work hard and give our best to everything we do. He was part of the greatest generation, but thought only that he was doing his duty. Like many who served with him in the Second World War, my father’s life was marked by hard work, sacrifice, and service.” – Doug Lamborn (CO-05)